Rayvin

I really don't think I should stay up to watch this all night.... but I'm sorely tempted.

I'm not going to let myself hope.

Been to vote now too. All there going for Labour but it's Newcastle East so doesn't really mean anything.

A number of the blue collar guys at work are voting Labour, and many actively encouraging their mates to go out. A lot of "I've never voted before, but..." Wonder if it'll make any observable difference.

Well done for sticking to your guns with Labour in whilst deep in enemy territory!

Lame, hope she feels better soon... you aren't in a marginal are you?

it's heartening to hear stories like that but I can't help feel it's all wishful thinking.

Students are out in force supposedly.

I think about this a lot actually, largely because I actually do pay attention to what Gloom says (whether he believes it or not). I think if it's the latter, it's more depressing than the former. If it's the former you can still have some basic belief in human decency, just that people are weak willed and easily scared. The latter is... well it would mean we're in a hopeless position.

That column is shameless I suspect it all filters through though. The headlines and such.

Yep.

I think if you include online readership, the Sun is eclipsed by the Mail. Although that might be on an international scale, rather than the UK. It's supposedly the most viewed news site in the world.

Just guessing, but I think it's because Gloom considers the Times to somehow be free from the influence of its owner. Not sure he factored in Sky though.

Both responsible, along with Rothermere.

Doubt it. I mean, maybe you're right, but I genuinely don't think there were that many votes riding on nuclear deterrents and the like. I suspect the IRA, terrorism, anti-monarchy stuff has probably had a bigger impact, and by the time he was leader there was nothing he could do about those.

I think Murdoch is most culpable, personally. I mean, it depends on whether or not you consider people like Murdoch and their stranglehold on the media to be 'part of the system as it works' or as 'something which should be challenged frequently and repeatedly'. That's probably where our difference of opinion lies.

Not a success, just not a defeat that suggests we should deviate from the overall course. It would be a fairly firm endorsement that the "far" left has something that many people consider feasible. If he was hammered, it would be really hard to argue that. If we get a Miliband style defeat, then as you say, we need to ditch Corbyn - but replace him with someone more palatable who isn't a centrist.

As an aside, and not because I think or even hold any hope that this might happen, but imagine if CT was right about this He could forever more claim to be the barometer for the nation's mood.

Yep, they've been notable by their absence. I think the party is shafted if it fails here. I can't speak for all members obviously, but I'm not about to vote for a centrist to come back in. Where does that leave us? Fractured and split.

Well the notion that pulling Labour to the left forced people to make a choice was always my contention, but it's not popular logic around here. And in fairness, doesn't appear to be about to work.

Everything seems to be pointing to the youth vote. The Guardian seems to think that if there's a turnout in excess of 66%, Labour will actually win the thing. Lower than 62% and they're fucked. Historically, it's been at 44%. So yeah, it's not looking likely. Although that said, the longest queues for polling booths are coming from universities...

Dianne Abbott it is then! Must be her turn now?

Not sure it has mind... Look at where he was in the polls before all that shit came up, and before he started getting out and making himself seen. He's won people back to him -despite- the views he has. If anything, I'd say it's his history that has underpinned his inability to capitalise to the full extent he could have, rather than his statements on issues like that.

Who do you want to come in and take over?